East Texan Arrested at LA Fair

EAST TEXAS — In conjunction with the Shreveport Police Department, the Caddo Sheriff’s Department took into custody multiple people for alleged drug possession at the Louisiana State Fair over the weekend. According to KETK, on Saturday, agents with narcotics unit conducted a one-night operation at the fair and made eight arrests, including some carnival employees. The workers have been identified as Issam Alkheid, 26, of Huntington Beach, CA, Jay Beeson, 31, of Dallas and Fawn Odom, 31, of Casper, WY. All three are were charged with possession of a drug.

Fairgoers arrested were Adam Anderson, 31, of Shreveport, Tyler Dickson, 20, of Traskwood, AR, Rumney Evertt, 50, of Shreveport and Timothy Haley, 41, of Hawkins. (pictured) All five were charged with possession of a drug and booked into the Caddo Correctional Center.

Authorities Search Park for Reported Rifleman

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches authorities are searching for a man who allegedly pulled a rifle on a jogger in a local park. It happened just before 6:00 Monday morning at the Lanana Creek Trail. According to KETK, the victim told police he was running on the trail when a middle-aged white man, dressed in camouflage, appeared behind him pointing a deer rifle in his direction. The gunman then re-entered a wooded area near the trail. The Nacogdoches Police Department closed the trail from Main Street to the back of Pecan Park while they hunted for the man. Officers were not able to locate the alleged gunman and reopened the trail around 8:30.

Investigation Into Teen’s Murder Still Underway

GREENVILLE — Some possible new leads into the murder of a Greenville teenager whose body was found in a trunk along a Van Zandt County road last week. Investigators released new images from surveillance video of a vehicle of interest in hopes that someone could identify it. Alicia Moore, 16, went missing after getting off a school bus just blocks from her home. Her body was found last Tuesday. Greenville police say they’ve received several helpful calls.

Pedestrian Killed by Train Identified

LONGVIEW — Authorities have identified the man killed in a train accident in Longview. It happened around 6:30 Saturday evening in the 100 block of Eastman Road. Jon Thomas Klar, 40, Longview, was found dead on the tracks after he fell under the train while trying to get off a train car. According to KETK, alcohol intoxication may have played a factor in the incident. The accident remains under investigation.

TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make pavement repairs on State Highway 64 (Glenwood Boulevard) between State Highway 31 (Front Street) and the water tower. A second crew is scheduled to perform pavement repairs on Interstate Highway 20 ramps and frontage roads at State Highway 155 and Farm Road 757. The work will involve brief ramp closures while the work is in progress. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zones.

Also this week, beginning Tuesday, TxTAGs will be on sale at the Tyler Area Office, located at the interchange of Toll 49 and SH 155 in Noonday. Customer service specialists will be on duty between 8:00am to 6:00pm Tuesday and Wednesday, and until noon on Thursday to sign up new TxTAG customers or to help with existing account questions. The tags, which are good for use on any toll road in Texas, are also available online at http://www.txtag.org or by calling TxTAG customer service at 1-888-Go-TxTAG.

WOOD COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 1799 between U.S. Highway 80 and Farm Road 779 in Golden, and edge repairs in various locations on Farm Road 1801 east of Mineola, and on Farm Road 515 and Farm Road 2225 near Lake Fork. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

Beginning Wednesday this week in Winnsboro, TxDOT and the Kansas City Southern Railroad will be closing the railroad crossings at State Highway 11, Farm Road 312, State Highway 37 and Farm Road 852 so the railroad can make repairs to its tracks. The crossings will be closed on at a time, beginning with SH 11. The railroad’s plans call for closing FM 312 on Friday, then SH 37 on Saturday, November 17. FM 852 will be closed Monday, November 19. Detours will be posted at each closure to help motorists find ways around the work.

LONGVIEW – Construction crews from Texas Department of Transportation contractor Longview Bridge & Road is scheduled to continue final resurfacing operations on State Highway 149 (Eastman Road) and State Highway 322 (Estes Parkway) between Interstate Highway 20 and Sysco Foods, then begin final resurfacing on Eastman Road between SH 322 and IH 20. Crews will begin by closing the inside lanes and center turn lane on Eastman Road for resurfacing work, including overnight lane closures through Wednesday, before swapping traffic into the inside lanes midweek so work can be done on the outside lanes. One lane will be open to traffic in each direction while the lane closures are in place. Some turns may be restricted while work is performed directly in front of driveways or in the center turn lane. Motorists are strongly encouraged to use caution in the work area, and seek an alternate route if possible to avoid delays.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations in various locations on U.S. Highway 175 east of Athens between Loop 7 and Farm Road 804. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

HENDERSON — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue base and pavement repairs on State Highway 43 between the Henderson Star and Farm Road 1251 in New Prospect. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers and pilot vehicles will control traffic.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin resurfacing operations on Farm Road 47 between Farm Road 2475 near Lake Tawakoni State Park and Farm Road 751 in Wills Point. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

ANDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 1137 between U.S. Highway 84 and the end of state maintenance. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers and pilot vehicles will control traffic.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to resume shoulder work on Farm Road 855 between U.S. Highway 69 in Mount Selman and U.S. Highway 175 near Cuney. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

RUSK — Cherokee County jury duty scheduled for tomorrow morning at 8:30 in the 369th Judicial District Court has been canceled. If prospective jurors have any questions, they should contact the court office at 903-683-2236.

TISD Foundation Kicks Off 2012-2013 Campaign

TYLER — The Tyler ISD Foundation has raised $50,000 of its $150,000 campaign goal for this school year. The announcement was made at the foundation’s recent kickoff luncheon. The campaign continues through March 1, 2013. Also at the event, six honorees (pictured) were inducted as second year members of the foundation’s prestigious Honor Roll. Following are brief sketches of the honorees and their contributions:

C.C Baker was principal of John Tyler High School and Billy Hall was principal of Robert E. Lee when John Tyler burned in 1981. The students of John Tyler were transported to the Lee campus and were welcomed with streamers and welcome signs, all created by Lee’s student body. The TISD Foundation’s Larry Goddard points to “the leadership and collegial relationship between Baker and Hall.”

Bonnie and Tab Beall are long time donors from their personal funds as well as Mr. Beall’s law firm, Perdue Brandon Collins Fielder and Mott LLP. Goddard says upon calculating the growing Beall Family Endowment, and with creative planned giving processes such as paid life insurance policies, the Bealls’ Endowment will have a corpus in perpetuity for students who might not otherwise have an opportunity for higher education.

According to Goddard, Jill Fondren is the Payroll Coordinator for Tyler ISD and carefully prepares the detailed work of creating exact payroll and with many deductions for close to 3,000 employees. Goddard says Mrs. Fondren kept the bookkeeping for the Foundation on her own time for fourteen years and prepared the IRS 990 form for nonprofits, which Goddard terms a highly complex form. No findings from auditors were ever found while Mrs. Fondren prepared the books in collaboration with the Foundation, which now uses a community CPA firm.

Finally, a well-known and popular Tyler ISD graduate, Kathey Comer, is credited with sustaining the foundation after the small group of founders had passed on. “Mrs. Comer, through her tenacity of finding the right directors at the right time, led countless meetings on campaign and event planning,” said Goddard. “Her upbeat speeches in the board meetings provided pure genuine guidance that has made the Tyler ISD Foundation a strong entity in Texas and the United States.” Mrs. Comer is honored in memory of her mentor, Mrs. Pat Oge, founding member of the Tyler ISD Foundation.

United Way Assets and Needs Assessment Survey

TYLER — The United Way of Smith County is conducting a community survey as part of its Community Assets and Needs Assessment. United Way officials say they’re serious about their responsibility as good stewards of the donors’ monies in addressing community needs. According to a United Way news release, “To ensure that United Way continues to address the community’s most pressing needs, it is important that everyone in the community has an opportunity to share their perceptions, experience and opinions about the needs of the community, The survey also asks about the assets and strengths of the community.”

“If you live in Smith County, we ask that you take a few minutes to complete the survey,” said United Way Community Relations Director Lisa Gardner. Log on to http://www.unitedwaysmithcounty.org to complete the survey, There is a large, gold “Community Needs Survey” button in the middle of the home page.

The first introduction of this survey to the community was at the East Texas State Fair. After gathering over 400 surveys at the Fair, United Way of Smith County is now reaching out to even more residents of Smith County to complete the survey online. The data collected from the surveys will be compiled by UT Tyler and released in a report in January 2013. The final report will be made available to Smith County municipalities, the county, nonprofits, other funding entities and other interested parties for future planning and development.

Salvation Army Gears Up for Holiday Season

TYLER — Tyler’s Salvation Army has kicked off two key projects for the holiday season. Friday, November 9, marked the kickoff event for the 2012 Salvation Army Angel Tree, at Broadway Square Mall in front of JC Penney. Each year, residents are asked to visit the tree and pick a needy “angel” who might not otherwise receive Christmas gifts. All new and unwrapped angel tree gifts must be returned to the angel tree location or The Salvation Army by December 14.

Also, the Salvation Army held a Kettle Kick-Off Concert Saturday, November 10, at Rose Heights Church, to kick off the Red Kettle 2012 season. Kettles were on site at the concert for the community to begin donating. Bell ringing officially begins Friday, November 23, and continues through Monday, December 24. Volunteers can begin signing up now at http://www.ringbells.org and view other volunteer opportunities. Go to http://www.salvationarmytyler.org to learn more about the Salvation Army.

Two Longview Men Arrested in Connection with Burglary

LONGVIEW — Two Longview men were arrested Thursday in connection with a burglary. LeDaryon Antwon Anderson, 27 (pictured) and Matthew Ewers, 38, were found standing next to a truck with antique collectibles inside. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report the antiques were allegedly taken from a nearby house earlier that day. Ewers and Anderson live in the 3400 block of Morrison Street. It’s the same block of the house where the items apparently came from. According to arrest affidavits, a witness told police she saw the men enter the vacant house and steal the items. They were charged with burglary and held in the Gregg County Jail on $10,000 bonds.

Navy Tells Leaders to Act after Alleged Japan Rape

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) – The Navy is telling its leaders around the world to work harder on preventing sexual assaults by sailors after two enlisted men, including one from East Texas, were arrested in Japan on rape charges, inflaming tensions with a critical ally in the region. The alleged rape was reported Oct. 16 in Okinawa, leading to an uproar on the island and a sharp rebuke from the Japanese government. According to Japanese media, the sailors had been drinking before they attacked the woman, in her 20s, who was on her way home before dawn.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family. We cannot comprehend the grief and trauma she has endured. We are appalled that such violent criminal behavior reportedly emerged from our ranks,” Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Adm. William E. Gortney, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces command, wrote in a message to their top officers and enlisted leaders on Nov 3. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the message on Friday. Charged in the case are Seaman Christopher Browning of Athens, Texas, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Skyler Dozierwalker of Muskogee, Okla. Both are 23, joined the military in 2008 and are assigned to Joint Naval Air Station, Fort Worth, Texas.

Dallas Man Arrested in Marijuana Bust

GREGG COUNTY — A Dallas man with warrants for his arrest on drug charges was stopped Thursday morning on Interstate 20 with 30 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of his vehicle, police said. Alejandro Rene Prieto, 30, of Dallas, was stopped at 11:35 a.m. on I-20 by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, according to his arrest affidavit. According to the Longview News-Journal, after running his information, troopers said they found Prieto was wanted in Dallas County on charges of possession of between four ounces and five pounds of marijuana and failure to identify a fugitive. Prieto was arrested and troopers found 30 pounds of marijuana in the back of Prieto’s SUV, according to his arrest affidavit. He was charged with possession of between five and 50 pounds of marijuana, according to his booking report. Prieto was held Friday in the Gregg County Jail on more than $35,000 in bonds.

Reported Gang Rape Investigated

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches authorities are investing the alleged gang rape of woman that took place earlier this week. On Wednesday, an unidentified woman walking on the 300 block of west Main Street accepted a ride from three unknown black men in a van, according to police records and KETK. The men then took the victim to an unknown location, possibly in the southeast part of town, and allegedly raped her. Officials could not release any information on the criminals descriptions. The case is under investigation.

Jacksonville Aggravated Robbery Suspect Arraigned

JACKSONVILLE — The man police believe is responsible for a string of armed robberies in Jacksonville has been arraigned in Cherokee County. KETK reports Kendall Lucas was arraigned by Jacksonville Municipal Judge B.K. Menefee late Friday Morning. Lucas’s bonds were set at $200,000 each on three aggravated robbery charges, $150,000 each on three charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and also $1,500 on a charge of “hindering a secured creditor.” The charge of hindering a secured creditor is unrelated to the investigation into the string of armed robberies.

Lucas was arrested on Thursday morning, just after midnight at the Jacksonville Square Apartments. The Jacksonville Police Department says the numerous tips they received were instrumental in linking Lucas to the robberies and ultimately to his capture.

Tyler Recognized with Downtown Revitalization Awards

WICHITA FALLS — Downtown Tyler won top honors Thursday at the Texas Downtown Revitalization President’s Awards Gala held in Wichita Falls. City Councilman Martin Heines was named the state’s Downtowner of the Year, and the Downtown Tyler Arts Coalition (DTAC) won the statewide Best Downtown Partner program. According to city of Tyler press materials, Heines was honored for his years of dedication to downtown revitalization as a volunteer, Heart of Tyler board member, property and business owner, project supporter, and Council member. DTAC won top honors for its many contributions to promotion of the arts in downtown Tyler.

“These are two of the most prestigious awards presented at the event,” said Beverly Abell, department leader for the City of Tyler Main Street Department (pictured with Heines). “We could not be more proud of those honored. Real and lasting downtown revitalization must include the leadership of volunteers, and these awards are confirmation that volunteers have a huge impact on our local program. “Our volunteers dedicate thousands of hours per year to the cause of revitalizing the historic heart of Tyler, and we are so grateful for their time, talent and heart.”

These are not the first awards earned by the downtown Tyler revitalization effort. More than a dozen businesses, properties and projects have been honored over the years. In 2009, Tyler won four awards: Downtowner of the Year (former mayor Joey Seeber), Downtown Partner of the Year (City of Tyler), Downtown Business of the Year (Discovery Science Place) and Best Adaptive Reuse (Moore Grocery Lofts). Last year, Abell received the inaugural Susan Campbell Award for Professional Excellence. The Texas Downtown Association, founded in 1985, has more than 400 members involved in more than $1 billion in downtown revitalization efforts.

Toll 49 Segment 3A Opens

TYLER – Segment 3A of Toll 49 is open. TxDOT cleared the way for drivers on the new stretch Friday afternoon following a Friday morning ribbon-cutting. Motorists will be able to drive Toll 49 between State Highway 110 in Whitehouse to State Highway 31 west of Tyler in approximately 15 minutes.

The new 8-mile segment, which began construction in 2009, connects the former west end of Toll 49 at SH 155 in Noonday with SH 31 between Tyler and Chandler, and will be free to drive through Monday, December 3. “We’re almost there,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “But we wouldn’t be this far along without help from our partners.” Segment 3B of Toll 49, which will connect SH 31 and IH 20, is under construction by the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority and is scheduled to be open to traffic in 2013.

For a limited time only, East Texans will have the ability to purchase a TxTAG this week at the Tyler Area Office, located at Toll 49 and SH 155. TxTAGs will be on sale between 8:00am to 6:00pm Tuesday and Wednesday, and between 8:00am and noon Thursday. TxTAGs can also be purchased by logging on to http://www.txtag.org or by calling 1-888-Go-TxTAG.

TxDOT opened Segment 5 of Toll 49, which runs between State Highway 110 and Farm Road 756 (Paluxy Drive), in June. Segment 1 of Toll 49, which runs between SH 155 and U.S. Highway 69, opened in August of 2006. Segment 2, which runs between US 69 and FM 756 opened in February 2008. Segment 4 of Toll 49, also known as the Lindale Reliever Route, would connect US 69 in Lindale to IH 20. It is not currently funded for construction, but planning and environmental impact studies have been under way for several years in anticipation of funding becoming available one day.

Stabbing Suspect Caught

LAKE PALESTINE – A suspect in a Cherokee County stabbing has been apprehended. According to the county sheriff’s department, investigators continued their search early Friday morning for Shawn Anthony Reep in the ShadyBrook subdivision near Lake Palestine. At approximately 10:30 a.m. investigators checked a residence that Reep was known to frequent. Reep was not found in the house, but when investigators say when they checked a small travel trailer next to the residence, he was found hiding under a pile of blankets on the bed.

Officials say the 31-year-old Reep offered no resistance when taken into custody. He was transported to Cherokee County Jail on another outstanding arrest warrant for violation of a protective order – a Class A misdemeanor – stemming from an incident that occurred several weeks earlier. Charges are still pending for the offenses committed during the stabbing and another altercation Thursday.

The stabbing occurred at 642 Elizabeth Drive in the ShadyBrook subdivision. Reep is accused of stabbing Joseph Lee Johnson, 31, Bullard, in the stomach. Johnson was flown to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, where he underwent emergency surgery. At last report he was in stable condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit. Following the stabbing Reep is said to have forced his way into the house where Johnson had been taken following the stabbing. He is said to have threatened the homeowner with the knife. The homeowner grabbed a display sword and hit Reep on the head, causing him to bleed profusely. The extent of his injuries hasn’t been reported.

Probation for “Road-Rager”

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Gilmer man receives 10 years deferred adjudication for a manslaughter charge stemming from a “road rage,” incident. If 20-year-old Benjamin Lee Powers, completes the probation, the charge will not appear on his record. According to the Longview News-Journal, Powers was charged with manslaughter in connection to a Dec. 30 wreck that killed the passenger in his vehicle, 19-year-old Caderrius Green, also from Gilmer. Officials said Powers wrecked his vehicle after attempting to aggressively pass a truck. Green was ejected and ran over by another truck.

Teen Memorialized Following Fatal Wreck

LONGVIEW — Cristian Monreal was remembered Thursday as a witty, comical and sometimes troublesome teenager by the Longview High School soccer coach for whom he was a midfielder. “I’m going to miss that boy’s face,” Coach James Wright said. “In athletics, it’s like a family. To lose one is incredibly hard. Cristian is going to be missed terribly this year.” A memorial for students was held in the High School parking lot at 10:15 Friday morning.

According to the Longview News-Journal, Monreal, 18, was killed and three other varsity soccer players were injured in a rollover wreck Wednesday about 200 yards from Longview High School. Police said Monreal’s teammate Jose Armando Corona, 17, was northbound on Airline Road when the truck ran off the roadway, overcorrected, traveled back across the road, hit a fence and rolled over, ejecting its three passengers. Corona was to be cited by police for unsafe speed over the limit, police said Thursday. The case was sent to the Gregg County District Attorney’s office for review. Monreal and Alex Aguirre, 18, were riding in the bed of the truck, police said. Eduardo Abarron, 17, was in the passenger seat.

Monreal was pronounced dead at the scene. The other passengers were taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center. All three had been released Thursday, said Wright, who spoke with them Thursday. Monreal’s body was sent to Tyler for an autopsy, police said.

Smith County Business Closing

WINONA – A Tyler packing plant will be closing within the next two months. RockTenn is located near Winona off Interstate Highway 20. Robin Keegan with RockTenn headquarters in Georgia tells KETK “We look at market conditions. We look at plant efficiency. We look at transportation cost. There are numerous factors that we are constantly evaluating at all of our facilities.”

The company notified employees on Wednesday of their intentions to close the plant. The decision may not have been a total surprise. Of the 56 people employed at the plant, nine were let go in February and 24 more were laid off in May.

Lufkin Woman Guilty of Tax Fraud

BEAUMONT – An Angelina County woman has been sentenced to federal prison for tax violations. Sheila Phillips, 52, of Lufkin, pleaded guilty on May 30 to making a false statement to the Internal Revenue Service. In federal court in Beaumont yesterday, she was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Phillips was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $124,217.00 to the Internal Revenue Service.

Federal prosecutors say Phillips operated a tax preparation and electronic business initially doing business as Sheila’s Tax Return and later as Ashley’s Tax Service. During that time, she prepared a tax return falsely stating that a specific individual was the head of household and that this same individual had a foster child qualifying this individual for a larger deduction. This individual did not have any children or foster children that would have qualified for this deduction. In all, Phillips made false statements in 29 individual tax returns resulting in over payments.

Convicted Killer of East Texas Woman Put to Death

HUNTSVILLE (AP) – Texas has executed the 33-year-old killer of an East Texas woman. Mario Swain received lethal injection last night for the slaying of Lola Nixon, 46, during a break-in at her home in Longview two days after Christmas in 2002. An unfamiliar truck parked in her neighborhood was tracked back to Swain, and he eventually led police to her body, dumped in the back seat of an abandoned car in a remote area of Gregg County. She’d been beaten with a tire iron, stabbed, and strangled. Swain’s execution was the 13th this year in Texas. Another two are scheduled for next week.

Teen’s Alleged Confession Questioned

NEW BOSTON (AP) – A judge in Bowie County is deciding whether law enforcement legally obtained an alleged confession from a teenager accused in a triple killing. The Texarkana Gazette reports that District Judge Leon F. Pesek Jr. heard testimony Wednesday on statements made by Rachel Pittman, 18. Pittman is charged in the 2011 deaths of Amanda Doss, 34, and her two children, Guinevere Doss, 11, and Texas Johnson, 8. Sheriff James Prince testified Wednesday that Pittman called police and said she had information about the killings. The sheriff testified that when he met with the teen, she said, “I killed Amanda.” Prince said he then read Pittman her Miranda rights. Pittman’s attorneys are challenging the confession. Pittman is set for trial January 14 in Rusk County.

Nobody Hurt When School Bus Caught Fire

LONGVIEW (AP) – Officials with an East Texas school district say nobody was hurt when a school bus hauling more than 60 children caught fire. Longview Independent School District officials say the front of the bus burned as everyone on board safely evacuated. Officials say the bus was hauling students home from Bramlette Elementary School on Wednesday afternoon when the engine caught fire. Authorities say bus driver noticed the smoke, stopped the vehicle and then helped students exit. Authorities are trying to determine what caused the engine to burn.

Jacksonville Robbery Suspect Arrested

JACKSONVILLE — A man wanted in connection with a string of robberies in Cherokee County is in custody. Kendall Lucas, 25, was arrested at a South Jacksonville apartment complex. He was already wanted on an alleged parole violation for a previous burglary charge. Jacksonville police tell KETK several businesses were robbed at gunpoint. Following the robberies, Cherokee County Department of Public Safety Troopers, Cherokee County Sheriff’s deputies and Jacksonville Police were are all involved in a search for Lucas. DPS helicopters also helped with the search.

One Dead in Marshall Wreck

MARSHALL – A two vehicle accident in Marshall has left one person dead. Pronounced dead at Good Shepherd Medical Center-Marshall was David Joseph Belgard, 32, of Marshall. His car and a loaded log truck collided shortly before 8:15 Wednesday morning at the intersection of Loop 390 and Farm Road 1998. Investigators say Belgard’s car was attempting to cross the loop when it was hit by the truck.

Tyler Man Convicted of Sexual Assault of a Child

TYLER – A Tyler man has been convicted by a Tyler jury of with five counts of sexual assault of a child. It took the panel over five hours of deliberations before finding David Burnett Williams, 48, guilty yesterday. State District Judge Christi Kennedy has scheduled Burnett’s sentencing for November 19th. He was accused in October of last year of sexually assaulting an eight year old girl he was babysitting.